Cinco De Mayo

Cinco de Mayo is a celebration held on the 5th of May each year in Mexico and all around the world where Mexican ex-pats live.

Cinco de Mayo is the Spanish for "fifth of May". It is primarily celebrated in the state of Puebla, Mexico with some limited recognition in other parts of the country.

What is Cinco de Mayo?

The holiday itself commemorates the Mexican army's unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, under the leadership of Mexican General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín. It is not, as many people think, Mexico's independence day - that is celebrated on September 16th.

In fact Cinco de Mayo is generally celebrated more in the US than Mexico itself, as a demonstration of Mexican national identity by Mexican immigrants. For the most part the celebrations combine food, music, parades and dancing.

The celebrations tend to draw both from traditional Mexican symbols such as Mexican Hats, Chilli Peppers, Maracas and the red, white and green Mexican flag, as well as listening to traditional Mexican mariachi music

So to celebrate, many people display Cinco de Mayo banners while children learn about its historical significance. Pinatas also often feature prominantly in these celebrations.

Special events and celebrations highlight Mexican culture, especially in it's music and regional dancing.

How You Can Celebrate Cinco de Mayo

Pinatas are a popular part of celebrating Cinco de Mayo. You can find instructions here on how to make your own Pinata.

Mexico's language is Spanish, so it would be a cool idea to learn a bit of Spanish. Mexican Spanish is basically the same as European Castillian Spanish (as spoken in Spain), however the accent differs and there are some differences in use of words. So if you learn a little Spanish, for example on Duolingo, you would certainly be able to make yourself understood.

For teachers and home educators, ABC Teach has lots of Cinco de Mayo themed activity ideas for teachers, includng printables, worksheets and craft ideas.